Please turn in your Bibles this morning to Romans chapter
13 as we continue our study through Paul’s letter to the
church in
Also, in knowing that the Lord’s return is getting closer we must also understand that deception, especially but not exclusively in the church is going to grow and I can’t believe how fast it is growing. Paul warned us in I Timothy 4:1, “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.” The Amplified Bible puts this verse like this, “BUT THE [Holy] Spirit distinctly and expressly declares that in latter times some will turn away from the faith, giving attention to deluding and seducing spirits and doctrines that demons teach.” And The Living Bible, “But the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some in the church will turn away from Christ and become eager followers of teachers with devil-inspired ideas.”
But
in the church today there is this ignorance of these doctrines
of demons, so much so that they have been accepted into the church.
“If it draws me closer to God, it must be of God” is
the mentality! If you feel that way, then read Johanna Michaelsen’s
book, The Beautiful Side of Evil. On the back of the book we are
told, “This is a true account of a young woman who, while
in search of spiritual truth, became a personal assistant to a
psychic surgeon in
Folk’s, how naive are we? Paul warned us in II Corinthians 11:13-15 of this very thing. He wrote, “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.” Thus, we need to be awake, we need to be aware and hold everything up to the light of God’s Word!
Now let me also give you this warning from Warren B. Smith as he wrote in his book, Reinventing Jesus Christ The New Gospel. He wrote:
In the introduction to a 1999 publication (Sixth Pressing) of Hitler’s Mein Kampf, Konrad Heiden describes how everything that Hitler was about to do was telegraphed in his early writings:
For years Mein
Kampf stood as proof of the blindness and complacency of the
world. For in its pages Hitler announced — long before he
came to power — a program of blood and terror in a self-revelation
of such overwhelming frankness that few among its readers had
the courage to believe it. Once again it was demonstrated that
there was no more effective method of concealment than the broadest
publicity.
Somehow, Christians don’t seem to grasp Jesus’ warnings about the tremendous
deception that characterizes the time of the end. Perhaps deceived into thinking that we can’t be deceived, we don’t take seriously enough His warnings that a Hitler-like antichrist figure will one day rise to rule the world — and that many people calling themselves “Christians” will support this spiritual counterfeit who will actually come in the name of Christ. Our adversary wants us to believe that these warnings are for another people at another time. Yet through Scripture, and in our heart of hearts, the Spirit of God tells us that they are not. As we study the Bible, and as we watch and pray and observe the events all around us, we come to understand that these future times described by Jesus are now suddenly and undeniably upon us.
In his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul warns of their vulnerability and susceptibility to false teaching in the name of Jesus. He suggests that if someone approached them with “another gospel,” “another Jesus” and “another spirit” they might
very well go along with it (2 Corinthians 11:3–4). Earlier in that same letter Paul had
indirectly encouraged the Corinthians not to be ignorant of their adversary’s schemes
and devices, lest they be taken advantage of (2 Corinthians 2:11). Paul told the Ephesians that it is a shame that we even have to talk about the things of darkness, but when we expose them they are brought into the light (Ephesians 5:12–13). He also told them that he had not ceased to warn them night and day for three years that men who were “grievous wolves” would “arise” in the Church “speaking perverse things” as they attempted to lead men away from their faith and into the enemy’s camp (Acts
20:29–31). Let us beware of these same warnings today.
- Warren B. Smith, Reinventing Jesus Christ The New Gospel, pp. 116-117
That is what I hope I have been doing over the past several
weeks, teaching and warning you of what is going on in the church
today, the dangers, the false doctrine that is creeping in or
was creeping in and now it is flooding in! With that said, let’s
begin reading in Romans chapter 13, starting in verse 11 and see
what the Lord has for us this morning as we deal with this topic,
IT IS TIME TO WAKE UP!
As I have said before, this section in Romans is a wake up call for the church, who seems to be sleeping, they are not paying attention to what is going on around them, that the Lord is coming back soon. Now if Paul made this statement back then, how much closer are we today! Listen carefully to how Dr. Taylor puts Romans 13:11, he has given a thoughtful paraphrase of this verse and it goes like this, “And all the duties of a virtuous and holy life we should the more carefully and zealously perform, considering the nature and shortness of the present season of life; which will convince us that it is now high time to rouse and shake off sleep, and apply with vigilance and rigor to the duties of our Christian life; for that eternal salvation, which is the object of our Christian faith and hope, and the great motive of our religion, is every day nearer to us than when we first entered into the profession of Christianity.”
You see, there is a new day coming, the night of man’s rebellion against God, the night of wickedness is almost over and yes, it is always darkest before the dawn, but that new day is about to begin so be ready, live in holiness, put on the Lord Jesus Christ! Once again, in our first study of these verses we went into great detail expounding on what Paul was saying and is saying to us. This morning we are going to continue to look at this apostasy that has taken place in the church.
Last week we looked at this New Age movement that has been speaking of a dawn of a new age coming upon us and we looked at how Jesus, not the Jesus of the Bible is speaking to many of them, giving them new revelations that are opposed to what the Scriptures say. This morning I want to focus on how these same doctrines have infiltrated the church and not many seem to care or are even aware of what is going on. Folk’s, IT IS TIME TO WAKE UP! Now we are only going to scratch the surface this morning, we will finish up looking at this next week.
And make no mistake about it, in the last days, in which we are living in, there will be an apostasy or a falling away from the truths of God found in the Word of God. This should not be a surprise to us. Paul reminds us in II Thessalonians 2:3, “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition.” The Amplified Bible puts this verse like this, “Let no one deceive or beguile you in any way, for that day will not come except the apostasy comes first [unless the predicted great falling away of those who have professed to be Christians has come], and the man of lawlessness (sin) is revealed, who is the son of doom (of perdition), [Dan 7:25; 8:25; 1 Tim 4:1.].”
If Paul is warning us not to be deceived, that means there is that possibility and we must guard ourselves from it. We must be paying attention to what is going on. Let me share with you a couple of statements made by different Christians and I think you will see why this deception that Paul spoke of is entering the church today and many have opened the door and allowed them to come right in and speak from the pulpit their doctrines of demons.
Listen to what James Montgomery Boice wrote a decade ago and see how it is flourishing today. He wrote, “Like the liberals before us, evangelicals use the Bible’s words but give them new meaning, pouring bad secular content into spiritual terminology. Sin becomes dysfunctional behavior. Salvation becomes self-esteem or wholeness. Jesus becomes more of an example for right living than a Savior from sin. Again people are told how to have happy marriages and raise nice children but not how to get right with the offended God. . . . Far be it from us to preach a gospel that would expose people’s sin, make them uncomfortable, and drive them to the Savior.”(James Montgomery Boice, The Gospel of Matthew Volume 1, p. 243)
You see, by changing the definition of Christian words you make people more comfortable and they believe it is Christian, when it is not. God’s Word is God’s Word, it is unchanging and it is truth. Who do we think we are that we can change what God has said? I guess we think we are God, and believe it or not, many do and many will as we will see and the church will buy into this false doctrine, this doctrine of demons that we are God!
Back in 2007, Susanne Weingarten wrote the following as she describes what churches have become today. And as you listen to this, you can see why people are spiritually bankrupt and thus, they can believe anything that comes their way. She wrote, “Megachurches use innovative packaging to sell religion. It’s user-friendly, practical, authentic, and modern. The Christian is the customer. They have learned a thing or two from shopping malls and big business. They woo their target group with a heavy dose of entertainment, sophisticated technology, wall-to-wall ideas for success at home and at work, and a spring-in-your-stride message that everything is good.” (Susanne Weingarten, The Recipe for Success at American Megachurches, online at www.spiegel.de/international/word/0,1518,474999,00.html)
Imagine if you were to give a child everything they wanted, candy, toys, they could do whatever they wanted and whenever they wanted, no rules, everything goes, he doesn’t have to eat what is good for them, what would you have? A juvenile delinquent, someone who is totally out of control and health wise, not in good shape but that would be the least of their problems because they would become a criminal! Now we would never do that with our children, I hope we would never do that, and yet, when it comes to the church we have no problem of giving them everything that they want instead of what they need!
Paul warned Timothy to, “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” II Timothy 4:2-5. In other words, there will come a time when people don’t want to hear the Word of God but don’t stop preaching. Yes, some will turn aside to fairy tales but that should not change what you are doing. God warned us this would happen and just because it is, don’t go and change the diet of the meat of God’s Word to candy or fairy tales to make people feel good, giving them what they want instead of what they need!
Many of you have been with this
church long enough to know that some of the things I have to say
you don’t like, and some are so offended that they end up
leaving the church. But here’s the thing. I am not here to
be a man pleaser, I am accountable before God and thus, I will
teach you the Word of God from Genesis through Revelation, which
we have gone through once already and I will not change God’s
Word so you will not be offended. Paul told Timothy to fulfill
his ministry, to complete it no matter if the people like it or
not. You don’t change God’s Word, PERIOD!
Let me share with you some of this new message that is being preached. Listen to this popular mega-church pastor and what he said during an interview with a reporter. It went like this:
REPORTER: “You get criticized a lot for your relentless positivity. Why?”
JOEL OSTEEN: “I think maybe it’s because it’s not old school. People are used to being beaten down. They’re used to [churches] condemning people to make them feel so bad so that they’ll repent, so they’ll know that they’re sinners, but I think there’s a different approach.” (Carolyn Kliener Butler, “Sermon With a Smile”, U.S. News & World Report, October 3, 2005, p. 57).
So the “old school” message
is to let people know that they are sinners in need of a Savior
and the, I guess, new school is to make them feel positive about
themselves. I wonder how that will play in the
And it is a message that is preached by popular pastors today, like Rick Warren who had this said of him in the Orange County Register, “Warren is also regarded as a savvy interpreter of his culture and generation. He is famous (some say infamous) for retiring the fire-and-brimstone formality of his Southern Baptist forefathers. In its place, he pioneered a sunny, laid-back, Southern Californian ‘relatability,’ transforming church from an old-fashioned penance into a contemporary celebration.” (Qwendolyn Driscoll, “Rick Warren Goes Global,” Orange County Register, August 27, 2006).
So now we are old-fashioned with our message of sin and salvation. Instead we need to have a “contemporary celebration” and again, I wonder how that will go over in the Lake of Fire? I hope you are seeing how serious this really is. This is no joke! It is not just overkill! H. D. McDonald warns us regarding this lukewarm, watered down message, “A gospel robbed of its rapport with man’s real need as a sinner and a redemption that has no relation to the divine holiness are not the power of God for man’s salvation. Truly to speak to the time is to proclaim to it the apostolic gospel that is for all times. It is not shoring up that a man needs but clearing out; not just nudges of encouragement to strive harder but a divine word to relieve his guilt. It is not pep talks he needs but a new life; not stimulus but salvation. The one thing that the human heart most sorely requires is the thing the church is commissioned to give: the gospel of a radical redemption. When once a church dilutes that gospel, it cannot grow, neither does it live.” (H. D. McDonald, The Atonement, p. 16).
And Cornelius Plantinga, Jr. writes the following regarding this issue, “For the Christian church (even in its recently popular seeker services) to ignore, euphemize, or otherwise mute the lethal reality of sin is to cut the nerve of the gospel. For the sober truth is that without full disclosure on sin, the gospel of grace becomes impertinent, unnecessary, and finally uninteresting.” And thus, what a great deception of the Devil to bring into the church an empty gospel, one that does not save but makes you feel good about yourself!
And lastly, listen to what John MacArthur had to say regarding the church today. He said, “It is quite possibly more susceptible to false teachers, doctrinal saboteurs, and spiritual terrorism than any other generation in church history. Biblical ignorance within the church may well be deeper and more widespread than any other time since the Protestant Reformation.” Thus, if a pastor is not teaching from God’s Word, then they are preparing their congregation for deception. If they are altering the Word of God to fit their ideas, many will go along because they do not know the Word of God. A great test to see what a church is up to without going in is to see if people are bringing their Bibles to church. If not, that is a good reason not to go in and check it out, because chances are they are not teaching from God’s Word or if they are you don’t need your Bible to follow what they are teaching because it is not in there or it is so watered down it doesn’t really matter!
I do realize that many don’t know of what is called the emerging church, they have not even heard of it while others just don’t see it as a threat to Biblical Christianity. I do know about it and I to see it as a threat. Please understand that the church that Jesus established, the one that was built upon Him and not man, will stand but also note, as I have said, that there is going to be a falling away from the truths of God found in the Word of God and these doctrines of demons will not bring people to the Jesus of the Bible, but another Jesus as we saw last week with the New Age teachings! And it doesn’t matter if you agree with me or not, the church is going New Age, it is moving into an eastern religion with its pagan practices that have been Christianized!
Rob Bell, who is an emerging church pastor, a leader in this movement said this in an interview in Christianity Today and listen to what he is saying regarding the church, what it is emerging into you might say. “This is not just the same old message with new methods. We’re rediscovering Christianity as an Eastern religion, as a way of life. Legal metaphors for faith don’t deliver a way of life. We grew up in churches where people knew the nine verses why we don’t speak in tongues, but had never experienced the overwhelming presence of God.”
Did you hear what he said? The Bible is nothing more than “legal metaphors for faith” and they don’t help us experience God. Then what does help us to experience God? Eastern religion, which is nothing more than New Age teaching and it is being brought right into the church today and not many care!
Back in 1978, Quaker minister Richard J. Foster published Celebration of Discipline, the Path to Spiritual Growth. It was hailed by Christianity Today as one of the ten best books of the twentieth century and voted by the readers of that magazine as the third most influential book after the Bible, Celebration of Discipline has blown the doors off evangelicals’ understanding of spirituality. What Foster has done, in essence, is reintroduce to the church the so-called “masters of the interior life,” as he likes to call the Medieval mystics. He declares that they alone have discovered the key to true spiritual life and slowly, over the last few years, convinced multitudes that he is right. This recipe for Christian living has been simmering in the pot for over two decades, but as of late has caught fire. New forces and new players have popularized Foster’s ideas to a new set of Christians and it seems to be rapidly taking hold.
This is due to the efforts of organizations such as Youth Specialties, numerous Bible colleges, and a rash of books and speakers, all introducing mystical practices and theology to our young people and our young ministers. Many of these, having grown up in churches that no longer major on the teaching of Scripture, and are thus lacking Biblical discernment, are easy prey for spiritual sounding techniques, especially those that promise such personal and life changing encounters with God.
Now listen to what Richard Foster has to say regarding prayer and you tell me if this is Christian or New Age/Eastern mysticism. He wrote, “Every distraction of the body, mind, and sprit must be put into a kind of suspended animation before this deep work of God upon the soul can occur. . . . There comes inner silence, peace, stillness. During such a time Bible reading, sermons, intellectual debate – all frail to move or excite us.” (Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline, p. 160).
God never tells us to turn our brain off, but He wants us to reason with Him, think things through. And do you see that he is saying that God’s Word, Bible Reading, sermons, thinking are all taken away so we can experience this silence! And this technique by Foster is nothing more than Eastern meditation and New Age practices where you turn yourself off to everything and open yourself up to the spirit world! And if you think I am kidding, listen to Fosters warning about this practice that he is endorsing. He wrote, “I also want to give a word of precaution. In the silent contemplation of God we are entering deeply into the spiritual realm, and there is such a thing as supernatural guidance that is not divine guidance . . . there are various orders of spiritual beings, and some of them are definitely not in cooperation with God and his ways!” (Richard Foster, “What is Contemplative Prayer?” Be Still [DVD]).
So this silence, this contemplative prayer may be used by Satan and he may influence your life. Is that not a red flag that you should not be involved in these practices, they are not of God! God is not going to tell you to do something that may be good or it may be bad, it all depends if He is able to get through or the Devil might, but good luck with that! We need to wake up and not allow this stuff, even if it is given Christian names, into the church!
I realize that we have spent a lot of time on what I call the introduction to this study, but you need to understand what is going on. I want to focus now on this New Age teaching that has come into the church that we are gods and pantheism or that everything is god, it is all connected. I will build upon this next time, but let me lay this foundation this morning.
Think about this for a minute. “When you look at the night sky or at the images of the Hubble Space Telescope, are you filled with feelings of awe and wonder at the overwhelming beauty and power of the universe?” Most of us would agree to that, the beauty of God’s creation.
“When you are in the midst of nature, in a forest, by the sea, on a mountain peak - do you ever feel a sense of the sacred, like the feeling of being in a vast cathedral?” Yes, there truly is a sense of awe and beauty of God’s creation; I think we would all agree to that.
“Do you believe that humans should be a part of Nature, rather than set above it?” That may be a little harder to swallow, but for the sake of argument, okay.
Now, “If you can answer yes to all of these questions, then you have pantheistic leanings.” I bet you didn’t know that.
This
is from the Pantheism web site and it goes on to say, “Are
you skeptical about a ‘God’ other than Nature and the
wider Universe? Yet do you feel an emotional need for a recognition
of something greater than your own self or than the human race?
If you answer yes to these additional questions then pantheism
is very probably your natural religious home.” Now, in saying
that, do you see how easy it is for Christians who don’t
know the Bible to fall prey to these heretical teachings!
Our society is being slammed with these teachings and if you doubt that, think about that great theologian James Cameron and his movie Avatar! If you don’t think that is New Age teaching, what movie were you watching, The Creature From the Black Lagoon? Let me just share with you what T. A. McMahon wrote in his article, The Avatar Gospel. He wrote this:
Movies
often teach theology. Some have greatly influenced our last two
generations about the character and qualities of God and perhaps
none more than the Star Wars series, which began in the
late 1970s. This series promoted the supreme deity as an impersonal,
amoral energy “Force” that could be tapped into and
used for one’s own end through mental techniques. “May
the Force be with you” was even interpreted by some sincere
(but sincerely wrong!) Christians as Jesus being the true “Force.”
Such a promotion attributes characteristics to Jesus that both
distort and demean His character as presented in the Scriptures--resulting
in “another Jesus.” Star Wars wrapped the beliefs
and practices of Hinduism in a high-tech, science fiction saga.
Obi Wan was a sorcerer; Yoda was a yogi by design and practice,
and the incredibly successful film series propelled Eastern mysticism
into the minds of Western youth. Avatar does the same for
shamanism.
Shamanism is the religion of nature and spirits and is the most widespread of all the religions in the world. It’s found among every indigenous people group throughout the earth, and its beliefs and techniques are the same wherever it is found. This is due to the fact that shamanism is a practice that comes from the spirit realm, with the spirits themselves not restricted by distant geographical locations. The term shaman comes from the Tungus people of Siberia and has been preferred by anthropologists over “witch doctor,” “medicine man,” “wizard,” “sorcerer,” etc. According to noted authority Michael Harner, an anthropologist and shaman, “a shaman enters an altered state of consciousness at will to acquire knowledge, power, and to help other persons. The shaman has at least one, and usually more, ‘spirits’ in his personal service. To perform his work, the shaman depends on special, personal power, which is usually supplied by his guardian and helping spirits.”
Avatar is a spectacular platform for preaching shamanism. The story line is neither unique nor complicated. A distant moon planet called Pandora is colonized by a corporation that is mining a metal of great value for the earth, which has been ravaged by the exploitation of its own natural resources. The enterprise, however, is hampered by a tribe of indigenous humanoids called Na’vi, whose village and land cover the main core of the precious metal. Diplomatic attempts to persuade the Na’vi to resettle elsewhere have ended in failure, primarily because of the Na’vi’s religion of shamanism. They worship Eywa, a goddess akin to what the Greeks called Gaia, or Mother Earth. Eywa appears to be an impersonal, godlike force that is responsible for maintaining the balance of all life. Everything in Pandora is linked to Eywa mystically and biologically.
The biological emphasis amplifies the critical nature of preserving the planet’s physical ecological system for future survival. Demonstrating the connectedness of all life forms, the spirits of animals that are killed for food or in self-defense are addressed by the Na’vi either in thanksgiving or apologetically. . . .
Director
and writer James Cameron makes his theological (and ecological)
bent quite clear in nearly every frame of the film. The movie’s
title and image of the Na’vi are derived from the Hindu god
Krishna, a blue-skinned incarnated avatar of the god Vishnu. Hinduism
teaches that throughout history avatars have manifested in human
and/or animal forms to restore the balance of good and evil. The
emphasis on trees in the movie is consistent in all shamanism.
The huge Hometree that housed the Na’vi clan and is destroyed
in the attack by the humans is representative of Eywa providing
for the Na’vi through “Mother” nature. The luminescent
Tree of Souls, which provides direct communication with Eywa,
is also a power center that can transfer souls to other bodies.
In traditional shamanism, the tree is a universal communication
medium for such cultures to connect with deceased shamans, ancestors,
and the spirits themselves.
Cameron has added his own twist to native shamanism by having the Na’vi communicate with the Eywa, spirits, and animals through fiber optics in their braided hair tails. The Na’vi plug the strands into similarly compatible devices found in animals and plants. Although at odds with the actual practice of shamanism, this does reflect the necessity of “experiencing” a god that cannot be “known” through reason, intellect, or science. . . .
The belief that naturalism produces a life of harmony, fruitfulness, and peace is a lie taught by many anthropologists yet contradicted by the experience of every shamanic society wherever they may be found. How can I be so sure? All indigenous groups are made up of people, who, like all people everywhere, are sinners. This innate evil, moreover, is compounded by seducing spirits bent on deceiving and destroying the humans who find themselves in bondage to them. No anthropologist has ever produced a tribe that was an exception to this destructive condition. . . .
Christianity
Today, for example, often leads the way in anointing the world’s
popular delusions as Christian. In its supported blog site directed
at women and titled Her·meneutics (ironically a
play on the word that fosters accurate Bible interpretation),
a female Princeton Seminary student writes the featured article,
suggesting that the character of Grace (mentioned above) may have
been “Avatar’s Christian character,” and
then adds a qualification, “Well, Christian-ish anyway.”
Christian-ish?! James Cameron would be appalled at the suggestion; I am angered. The only insertion of any thing “Christian” in the entire movie is the name of a floating mountain range (“Hallelujah”) and the mention of the Lord’s name, which is used as a curse word. That’s also a paradox for a story set more than a thousand years from today, seemingly far removed from the religious content missionaries supposedly used to “spoil the purity” of the noble savages. Although Christianity has obviously died out in the movie’s future setting, ironically its God remains in the psyche and on the foulmouthed lips of the characters in the movie.
Christianity Today, the Emerging Church Movement, Rick Warren’s Global P.E.A.C.E. plan, and those among some mission and parachurch organizations (e.g., those that follow the leadership and teachings of C. Peter Wagner) have a penchant for trying to find buried nuggets of Christ in the culture, or accommodating Christianity to the culture, and vice versa. Many are about sanctifying and redeeming the paganism of a society, or at least trying to harmonize and work with all religions. This is all fodder for syncretism and ecumenism. They are contributing to the religion of the Antichrist. A. W. Tozer took such an endeavor to task by noting that Moses did not enter into a panel discussion with the Israelites for finding some spiritual merits of the golden calf, nor did Elijah trade edifying insights with the prophets of Baal, and neither did Jesus seek a meeting of the minds with the Pharisees. Furthermore, promoting a “group hug” among contradictory religions with the intention of solving the world’s problems is a grand delusion at best. Isaiah, speaking for Jehovah God, makes His view absolutely clear: “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this [God’s] word, it is because there is no light in them” (Is 8:20).
- T. A. McMahon, The Avatar Gospel, The Berean Call, March 2010
I realize that was a little long, but I thought it was important to show you how the movie industry, how Hollywood is promoting a spirituality that is opposed to Christianity and it is preparing people for this coming New Age of spirituality! Now you may wonder why I am speaking of this regarding the unsaved and the reason I am doing this is to show you that what these new prophets are saying outside of the church, have now come into the church!
In Acts chapter 20 Paul is on his way to Jerusalem because he wanted to make it there for Pentecost and he has a stopover in Miletus. And when he is there he sends word to the Ephesian elders to come so he can meet with them. And this is what he said to these pastors staring in verse 22 of Acts chapter 20, “And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. And indeed, now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more. Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” Acts 20:22-32.
Paul new that his trip to Jerusalem was not going to be easy but he knew that is what he needed to do, to bring the Gospel message to his brethren. Folks, it is not always easy when we look at things through human eyes and that is what was facing Paul, and what does he do as he hears over and over again this warning by the Holy Spirit of what awaits him in Jerusalem?
With all that uncertainty before him, Paul is still able to say “ . . . none of these things move me. . .” It is as David said in Psalm 16:8, “I have set the LORD always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.” How in the world could Paul have said those words? Because he did not count his life, his physical life as important to him. He was not trying to live forever in this physical body, he knew it was going back to the dust of the earth and not a moment before God had appointed it to, and thus, he could say “ . . . none of these things move me. . .”
Today many things move us, just look at the evolution of magazines and I think you will see what I mean. Back in the 1950’s it was Life! Then in the 1960’s we were reading People! By the 1970’s we read Us! By the 1980’s we were reading Self! What is next, Me? We can get so caught up with ourselves that we are of no use for God. Be careful. Paul was a man of humility. He had compassion for people that brought him to tears and he had trials in his life. He also taught people the things of God, not holding back. Paul was a servant, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and thus, he could say “ . . . none of these things move me. . .” What about you?
You see, when you take a stand against what is happening in the church today, you will be looked down upon, you will be called unloving, you will be called a fanatic or that you are going overboard, that this stuff is really not that important, we just need to “Love, love, love. Love is all we need” as Paul McCarthy sang! Folk’s, that is not love if you don’t speak forth the truth. I don’t care who is teaching a heresy, how famous they may be, the only source for truth that I have, that you have is the Word of God and if they are not teaching according to God’s Word, then there is no light in them!
You see, Paul was in the race, but too often as Christians we are just spectators. But Paul was not just in the race, he was in to finish the race that was set before him, and he didn’t complain or grumble about all he went through, but he wanted to finish the race with joy! How could he do that? Because of what God gave him, the grace of God to share with others, he felt he had no right to complain but to rejoice in all that God had given to him.
It is as Paul said in I Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” How did Paul do in this race? At the end of his life, as he sat in prison, Paul was able to say, “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” II Timothy 4:6-8.
May we be able to say the same as our life comes to an end that we finished the race that was before us with joy! As you are looked down upon for not embracing this false teaching, will you stand strong? We need to!
Now Paul knew this was his last encounter, his last meeting with these Ephesian elders, that he would see them no more till they all got to heaven and then Paul makes this interesting statement, “Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men.” Acts 20:26. How could Paul say that? Why would he say that?
Because Paul saw himself as a watchman, warning the people of the coming judgment of God if they don’t repent and receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior of their lives. And Paul did this by sharing with them some of the Word of God? No! He did this by sharing most of the Word of God? No! Paul did this by giving them the whole counsel of God, verse-by-verse, expository preaching! He didn’t just pick the hot topics of the day, but covered all the issues, even the controversial ones!
That is my desire here at Calvary Chapel, to take you through the Word of God, verse-by-verse, which I have done and thus, I am be able to say as Paul did, “ . . . that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.”
Remember the story in I Kings chapter 22 as the king of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, Ahab, a wicked king, wants land back that the Syrians had taken and he makes this alliance with the king of the Southern Kingdom of Judah, Jehoshaphat, who was a godly king to help him in this situation. And before they go into battle Jehoshaphat wants Ahab to inquire of the Lord to see if God wants them to go into this battle or not and listen to what transpired, because we see this happening in the church today.
In I Kings 22:5-18 we are told, “Also Jehoshaphat
said to the king of Israel, ‘Please inquire for the word
of the Lord today.’ Then the king of Israel gathered the
prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, ‘Shall
I go against Ramoth Gilead to fight, or shall I refrain?’
So they said, ‘Go up, for the Lord will deliver it into the
hand of the king.’ And Jehoshaphat said, ‘Is there not
still a prophet of the Lord here, that we may inquire of Him?’
So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, ‘There is still
one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the
Lord; but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning
me, but evil.’ And Jehoshaphat said, ‘Let not the king
say such things!’ Then the king of Israel called an officer
and said, ‘Bring Micaiah the son of Imlah quickly!’
The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, having put
on their robes, sat each on his throne, at a threshing floor at
the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied
before them. Now Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made horns
of iron for himself; and he said, ‘Thus says the Lord: “With
these you shall gore the Syrians until they are destroyed.”’
[a little skit you might say!] And all the prophets prophesied
so, saying, ‘Go up to Ramoth Gilead and prosper, for the
Lord will deliver it into the king's hand.’ Then the messenger
who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, ‘Now listen,
the words of the prophets with one accord encourage the king.
Please, let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak
encouragement.’ And Micaiah said, ‘As the Lord lives,
whatever the Lord says to me, that I will speak.’ Then he
came to the king; and the king said to him, ‘Micaiah, shall
we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall we refrain?’
And he answered
him, ‘Go and prosper, for the Lord will deliver it into the
hand of the king!’ So the king said to him, ‘How many
times shall I make you swear that you tell me nothing but
the truth in the name of the Lord?’ Then he said, ‘I
saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep
that have no shepherd. And the Lord said, “These have
no master. Let each return to his house in peace.”’
And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, ‘Did I not tell
you he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?’”
You see, many leaders, many people only want to hear good, even if it is not true and that is what we see happening here and in the church today. Don’t say anything that is negative, or as my son use to say, “It is all good dad!” No it is not because not all is true and if it is not true, if it is not of God, then it is not good! Ahab refused to listen to what God was saying and it cost him his life and I wonder how many today are going to lose their lives to the Devil with his deceptive doctrines because they refuse to read and believe what God has said in His Word!
Now, quickly, back to Acts chapter 20 and in verses 29-31, which we have already read we see the reason why it is so important to feed your sheep, to keep them healthy, to care for them, because there are wolves who want to devour them. Let me ask you this, in knowing that these wolves disguise themselves as sheep, how can you tell the difference? The only difference between a sheep and a wolf is their DIET!
Paul spent 3 years teaching them, warning them of these things. Wolves will try to come in and destroy the sheep. You can tell because they bring division, chaos to a body. Also, wolves will rise up from within a body to try and destroy the sheep and you can tell because they will draw people to themselves or their doctrine instead of Christ! Thus, I will warn you of the wolves that are out there, even saying names if need be. I will protect you from wolves that may arise from within the church and that may seem harsh, but as pastor, as the shepherd of this flock, God has entrusted you to me to care for, to feed, to watch over and if I didn’t do these things, then it would show you that I don’t love you and I would dishonor the Lord! Thus, in humility, in teaching, with tears and trials I will shepherd the flock that God has purchased with His blood and entrusted to me!
And you too need to be in the Word, you need to be watching, you need to be awake, and as you see these doctrines of demons, you expose them. Now you can spend a lifetime finding all these new things out, but the best way to know true from false is to study the Word of God, study the truth and it will expose the lies that are out there!
I realize that we didn’t even get to the topic I wanted to this morning, so we will deal with this next time but to just wet your whistle, listen to this:
“Mysticism, once cast to the sidelines of the Christian tradition, is now situated in postmodernist culture near the center. . . . In the words of one of the greatest theologians of the twentieth century, Jesuit philosopher of religion/dogmatist Karl Rahner, ‘The Christian of tomorrow will be a mystic, one who has experienced something, or he will be nothing.’ [Mysticism] is metaphysics arrived at through mindbody experiences. Mysticism begins in experience; it ends in theology” (Yungen, A Time of Departing, p. 160).
Another influential emerging church leader is Spencer Burke, director of The Ooze. He explains his views on mysticism as well:
“I was struck by the incredible wisdom that could be found apart from the “approved” evangelical reading list. A Trappist monk, [Thomas] Merton gave me a new appreciation for the meaning of community. His New Man and New Seeds of Contemplation touched my heart in ways other religious books had not. Not long afterward my thinking was stretched again, this time by Thich Nhat Hanh—a Buddhist monk. . . Hanh’s Living Buddha, Living Christ gave me insight into Jesus from an Eastern perspective.” (Yungen, A Time of Departing, p. 157).
Some may say, “But there are positive attributes to the emerging church movement.” Yet would you drink a glass of mountain spring water if it had only a drop or two of cyanide? Not if you didn’t want to get very, very sick.
Jesus Christ made it clear in Scripture that we are to cling to truth. HE is truth, and He is the only way to salvation. . . .
- Emerging Church Confusion: What Does It Really Mean? The Berean Call, 01/14/08
May we as the church of Jesus Christ be awake, may we be watching for the return of Jesus and live holy lives by putting on the Lord Jesus Christ, making no provision for the flesh, for the days are evil!